Loss, Love, Laughter, Life
by The.Secrets.of.Five.and.Nine
Summary: A story about the lives of the ten Garde as if they were teenage humans going through high school. It will be a co-written story by IwishIcouldbeNumberFive and SecretlyIamNumberNine. We hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1 - Author's Note

**Loss, Love, Laughter, Life - Author's Note**

Welcome to the story of the century! This story will be written in combination of IwishIcouldbeNumberFive and SecretlyIamNumberNine. It will be in an alternate reality where the ten Garde are human, and they're living through their high school troubles. You can call us by Five or Nine, depending on who you want to talk to, or just say anything in general! The first chapter will be written by Nine, and then the second by Five. Every chapter we will switch off, and we each have certain POVs we are doing. At the beginning of each chapter we will say the story's name, the author of that chapter, and the POV as to keep you guys un-confused. So, in total, we hope you enjoy our story!

-Five and Nine


	2. Chapter 2 - Marina

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lorien Legacies...**

**Hi guys!**

**I wish i was number five here! Thanks for the reviews so far, I didn't expect any yet! :D**

**Relationships are being planned out right now but if I get my way, this could very well be a Nix story... but we'll have to wait and see.**

**Please read on!**

* * *

**Loss, Love, Laughter, Life - Chapter 2**

**Author - I wish I could be Number Five**

**POV - Marina**

My alarm goes off way too early. I groan and roll over, hiding my face in my pillow. I can't believe it's already time to get up.

I can hear Ella scampering around the house already. She's going to school earlier than me since she's planning on meeting some of her friends. They're all terrified since it's their first day at High School.

I sit up I bed, resting my head in my hands. I'm not looking forward to this year at all. I've got a crazy amount of work to do to pass my exams and get into Uni. I have to deal with the same cliques as every year and on top of that, try to deal with Ella.

My phone beeps and I grin at the picture Maren sends me. She knows how to cheer me up. We're best friends and have been for years. It was ever since I was bullied at 7 years old for having pigtails. Maren had punched the guy and then after that, we'd been firm friends. I can't imagine life without her brusque but fun personality.

I get out of bed, pulling a brush through my hair. Thank god I showered last night. I throw some clothes on, thankfully having passed the stage of caring about fashion. I shove some shoes on and shoulder my bag.

"Hey Mar" Adelina, my aunt, greets me as she trudges to the bathroom. I nod at her as I amble downstairs, smelling the fresh coffee. I grin and drop my bag by the door, going straight to the coffee.

"Hey El" she nods at me, engrossed in her phone. I sigh as I pour myself a cup.

"How are you?" I ask. She shrugs, shoving a piece of toast in her mouth as she grabs her bag.

"Good, see you later" she calls, heading out of the door with her phone. I roll my eyes at her behaviour. In a month or so she'll realise there's more to life than a new phone.

I grab a piece of toast, smiling sadly at the picture of my parents on the side. I miss them so much; it's a constant ache in my heart. The thought of the fatal car accident almost makes me want to start crying again. I shake my thoughts off and quickly eat my toast, leaving soon after Ella does.

I drive slowly to Maren's house, taking care on the roads. I'm not a fan of driving after my parents' crash but I have to man up and deal with it. I have to become an adult now, for Ella's sake as well as mine.

I get to Maren's house where she's waiting outside, grinning when she sees me. She's all ready to go to school, PE kit at her feet.

She's so annoyingly beautiful, Maren. She's got long black hair, grey eyes and a striking face. I feel plain next to her but I still love her as my best friend. Besides, the way she takes the piss out of herself makes me feel a million times better.

"Hey" I call as I wind the window down. "Need a ride?" She grins and hops into the passenger seat, her eyes sparkling in mischief.

"Senior year Mar!" she cheers. "We're gonna tear this place up!". I laugh as I drive the car out of the drive, waving to her grandma in the window.

"Sure we are. I can just totally see us wrecking the school with our maths equations" I say dryly.

"But seriously! We're gonna have tons of fun" Maren says enthusiastically. I bite my lip.

"We have to apply to Uni and get the grades… I don't know if I _can_ have fun this year Maren" I say with a shrug. She rolls her eyes playfully and jostles my shoulder.

"Loosen up. You'll get into your dream Uni easily" she says. "Especially with that crazy fund your parents left you" she adds.

Anyone else talking about my now dead parents would get a glare but I simply grin at her. Being my best friend gives her the ability to say things like that. She plays around with the radio, frowning.

"So, you going for the running team again?" I ask her as I drive around a roundabout. She grins and settles back in her seat, giving up on the radio.

"Sure am" she nods determined. "I've got to make the netball team too" she says determinedly. "I've got to do it this year" I grin and roll my eyes at her.

"You will" I reassure her. She smiles and turns to me.

"And what about you? Ever thought about going back to swimming?" she asks me. I pause as I drive through a tricky bit of road, getting to the school.

"I don't know… I haven't been since their death and it would feel weird to go back" I admit. Maren bites her lip as she gently touches my arm.

"You have to go at some point" she says sadly. "You have to move on and live your life" I nod and fight back tears, driving into the school car park.

"I know… but I have so much on my plate at the moment" I shrug as I step out of the car. I grab my books and put my bag on my shoulder. I drop my keys on the ground and bend down, picking them up.

"Nice one Mar" Maren teases as she gets out, flipping her perfect black hair over her shoulder. She pulls it back into a ponytail and grins at me.

"How's Ella doing?" she continues our earlier conversation as we head into the school grounds, the sun shining down on us. I shrug and slip my jacket off, revealing my tank top on underneath.

"Same as, same as. She's been working hard over the summer" I shrug. Maren nods and then sighs.

"She hasn't started the bad eating habits?" she asks. I shake my head at once. Ella had some issues with wanting to be skinny after our parents' death; she wanted some control in her life. But she'd been too thin and that was another issue i'd had to deal with/

"I've kept an eye on her… but I'm worried about her coming here. I don't want her to go off the rails" I admit. Maren gently touches my arm as we head towards the language blocks.

"Don't worry so much. Adelina and I will help you with Ella. You'll be fine" she reassures me. I nod and try to smile but I keep my fears locked inside me.

Who said school years were the best?

Xxx

My least favourite subject is Maths. I _hate_ it with a passion and today I have it last thing. I want to fall asleep. As if that weren't bad enough, I _hate_ my class. Sophie, the head cheerleader, is in our class as well as other annoying girls from her clique.

"Marina?" my head snaps up and I blush at once as Mr Nagy glares at me.

"Yes" I ask, my voice kind of husky. I clear my throat and try to ignore the small giggles at the back of the class.

"What was the answer?" he asks, crossing his arms. I flush and bite my lip, not having any idea what he's talking about. I wasn't listening; I was too busy thinking about Ella. Mr Nagy sighs and shakes his head, disappointed.

"Don't let your ability fall like it did last year" he says bitingly. My cheeks flame as I look down and I hear more laughs.

Mr Nagy carries on with the class but I can't get the biting comment he made out of my mind. He was subtly telling me to snap out of my feelings. How dare he tell me to get over it just like that! How dare he be so rude!

I want to get up and out of my seat but I need to pass this class. So I bite my tongue and sit through the agonising hour, watching the clock ticking down. Finally the bell rings and I get up to go, packing my bags happily.

"Marina? My Nagy calls my name and I groan quietly. I grab my books as I sling my bag on my shoulder. Most of the students have gone but one or two are still here, still packing away.

"Joseph, I need a word with you too" Mr Nagy says and a tall guy with curly hair grimaces. I go up to my teacher's desk, sighing.

"Yes sir?" I ask quietly. Mr Nagy sighs as he rifles through some papers. The boy, Joseph, is waiting behind me for his turn to talk to the teacher.

"I'm worried about you Marina" he admits. I fidget uncomfortably and look down.

"For an A grade student, a C isn't what I was expecting" I open my mouth to protest but he carries on. "You could do so well Marina! You could be going to Harvard or Yale if you wanted" he pleads. I sigh and look down, painfully aware of the boy behind me.

"I'll try harder" I shrug. He puts his hand on my shoulder.

"I know you've had it hard Marina. I can't begin to imagine what you've been through. But this is the most important year of your life and I can't bear the thought of someone as promising as you throwing it all away" he pleads with me. I bite my lip and the look up at him.

"Can I go sir?" he sighs and then nods, moving onto the kid behind me. I escape the classroom, relieved.

I hate pep talks.

Xxx

"Ella's upset" are the first words that greet me when I get back from school. Adelina stands nearby, her face sad as she gazes at me. I nod at her, walking up the stairs at once to my little sisters room.

"El?" I call outside her door, knocking on it. I can hear sobbing from inside.

"Go away!" she yells back. I sigh and then enter, thankful there's no lock.

Ella's lying on the bed, sobbing her poor little heart out. I go over to her and wrap her in my arms, gently kissing her hair.

"Sh, it's ok" I whisper, hugging her tightly. She shakes her head as she clings to me.

"I miss them so much!" she wails, her face streaked with tears. I stroke her hair back, feeling my own eyes filling with tears.

"I know, I know" I murmur, kissing her forehead. She continues to sob, her face buried in my neck.

"I wish they were here" she murmurs after a while. "I wish they could help me with my homework and show you how to drive and encourage me to join the painting club" she whispers. I nod as I continue to stroke her hair.

"You have me" I say sadly. "And Adelina" I add. Ella laughs bitterly as she wipes her face with her sleeve.

"She pretends that everything's all right… when it's not" Ella replies. I sigh and hug her tightly, my fingers braiding her hair. It relaxes her when I do that.

"She's taken us in and helped us… don't be like that El" I whisper softly. I know what she means though; Adelina does pretend that a lot of the issues Ella gets aren't there.

"How was school?" I ask her. She sighs and shrugs weakly.

"Good actually… it was just hearing everyone talk about their own parents and I couldn't help myself" she murmurs. I nod and rest my head on hers.

"I know what you mean… my teacher had a word with me today because I wasn't performing well" I tell her. She giggles and grips my hand.

"Well they can piss off" she mutters. I gasp and pull back in mock horror.

"Language Ella!" I say, imitating Adelina's strict voice. Ella dissolves into giggles and then hugs me.

"I'm so glad to have you Mar" she whispers, burying her head in my neck. "Thank you for everything" I smile as I hug her back.

"Love you too" I whisper softly.

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**Ok, so I made Marina have some tough problems to outline her serious attitude :D Also, it would be too easy to let our characters have easy lives.**

**Names for the story**

**Five will be Tom**

**One will be Sophie**

**(couldn't think of any other names)**

**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3 - Stanley (Nine)

**Disclaimer: We don't own the Lorien Legacies...**

**Hey, guys! Secretly I am Number Nine here! The reviews so far are great, thank you so much and continue to leave them!**

**So, important question many of you want answered:**

**Do you want Five's character from the real book, The Fall of Five, or Five's character from I wish I could be Number Five's story, The Revenge of Ten? If we use that character, we can make it a Nine/Five story, but if we use the real series' character, it would be a Nine/Six story. **

**So... Up to you guys! Nine/Six or Nine/Five! We can do this either way, and wanted to keep it interactive. **

**Anyway, on with the story!**

**Loss, Love, Laughter, Life - Chapter 3**

**Author - Secretly I am Number Nine**

**POV - Stanley**

My alarm goes off, and I cover my head with a pillow. I'll just wait till Dad gets me up, I think.

"Don't even think about sleeping in, Stanley." My dad yells from the kitchen downstairs.

I groan and sit up. I run my fingers through my long, black hair, and then stand up. Of course I do this too fast and receive the woozy feeling, but it quickly subsides. I walk to the bathroom across the hall and do my morning routine; brush teeth, put in contacts, comb hair, and get dressed. I walk downstairs to find my dad sorting through paper work, his bag having spilled all over the counter. I bend over and pick up a business card. "Sandor Worthington, Lawyer." Reads the top.

"I thought you hated this job?" I ask.

"I do, but we need the money to keep this place up and running. I've got to get to work. John's picking you up in ten minutes. There's cereal in the cupboard and eggs in the fridge if you want anything." He says and passes me a protein shake. "And you need this for your tryouts later."

"Thanks, Dad. See you later." I reply.

We do our secret handshake and he leaves in a rush, probably late for his appointment again. Ever since my mom died six years ago, my dad had to switch from his job in developing new technology to being a lawyer in order to support our house. That part is probably for my sake. I made more friends here then I ever have anywhere else. Plus, the school system is great.

My best friend is definitely John. He is the captain of the soccer team. Joseph is my other best friend, he is captain of the hockey team. And then there's me, the captain of the wrestling team. We all earned our way to captain's slot this year, as we are seniors. A honk then comes from the driveway.

I grab an apple and my backup, along with my converse and a hoodie, just in case it gets cold. I turn the lights off and trip as I walk out the doorway. I lock the door and turn around to see John and Joe waving from John's new car. I walk up and hop in the backseat.

"You ready to rock this place?" Joe asks as soon as I settle in.

"I think; lets just hope Miranda doesn't show up in the ugly magenta blouse like last year." I answer, scoring a laugh out of the two. "How has the car been holding up?" I ask John.

"Well, the old beauty hasn't broken down yet, so I'd say pretty good!" He replies happily.

"Hey, did you guys here about the new hockey coach?" Joe asks.

"They fired Coach Hunter?" I question.

"Yeah, last week. He apparently was caught carrying illegal drugs." He answers.

"That explains the constant hallucinations..." John says.

Joe and I laugh.

So far, this looks like it is going to be a good year.

xxxxx

First period just ended; I had history with Joe. We come across a tiny freshman girl a little down the hall, looking a little bit terrified. She is looking down at her schedule, then her map, and then around the area.

"Hey, little girl!" I call out. She looks at me, startled.

"Do you need any help?" Joe asks.

She nods. "Do you know where room 213 is?" She asks quietly.

"It is straight up those stairs and the second room on the right." I answer.

"Thanks!" She says happily and runs off in that direction.

"Didn't you just send her to Mr. Sager's room?" Joe asks suspiciously.

"Yup!" I respond.

"You know she has an older sister in our grade, right?" He asks me.

"Yeah, I know. So?"

"You're probably going to regret that..." He finishes and heads off down the science hallway.

I continue straight and go up the stairs. I reach the top with just enough time to the girl walk into the classroom, and then quickly back out with a blush on her face. She makes eye contact with me, and then runs away, her shoulders drooping as she hurries past me. Now I feel terrible.

I turn in to my English classroom, and I see John sitting in the back. I sit down next to him, and then I turn to see my new teacher standing right behind me.

"Uh-uh. No, you are going to be seated nearer to the front, Mr. Worthington. I do not want you even vaguely near your friends." He says with a glare at John, who glares back. I silently congratulate him.

I can already tell that I'll hate this class.

xxxxx

For last period I have Mr. Nagy, who teaches math. In the class are tons of the popular girls and cheerleaders. There are also a couple geeks, like that little girl's sister.

My crush is sitting in the middle of the cheerleaders. She is the captain. Her long, blond hair flows to her upper back, and her blue eyes are brighter than the sky on a clear day. I try not to gape too much as I pass her.

I sit down next to Joe in the back. Luckily, Mr. Nagy doesn't assign seats like my English teacher Mr. Kale. I turn to him.

"Do you think that girl told her sis yet?" I whisper to Joe.

"If she had, she would be all over you." He whispers back, looking nervously around. He may act all tough but older sisters shouting at him? Yeah, he's not so good at dealing with that.

"Like all the other girls?" I say with a smirk.

"Mhmm." A deep voice hums right by our side.

We look up to see Mr. Nagy standing over us.

"As I was saying before rudely interrupted, my name is Mr. Nagy. I will be teaching you math this year." He explains.

Joe and I lean back in our chairs. This is going to be another interesting class.

It is now five minutes till the end of class, and Mr. Nagy has proven himself worthy; he likes rock music, playing soccer, and math. That isn't too bad for a teacher. The whole period was practically learning about all the other classmates, but we also took a mini-quiz to test our knowledge. Also over the course of the period, the girl's sister embarrassed herself multiple times.

Must run in the family.

"My mom brought this for me... do you like it?" One of the girls in front of me turns around, flashing the expensive bracelet in front of me.

This question tenses me up. I look over to Joe, who just shrugs and looks back toward the front. I gulp and start to sweat a little.

I don't know how to answer this. I try to be strong, but this one piece of my life is what keeps my down and weak.

"Um... My mom died six years ago." I say meekly.

I get solemn stares from the girl in front of me. She blushes and then turns around, whispering to her friend. The girl's sister is watching us the whole time.

"My parents died in a car crash over the summer." She says, obviously trying to make me feel better.

Mr. Nagy looks back and forth, not knowing what to say next. Apparently he and the whole class heard the conversation.

Just great.

"Um... Lets just relax for the last few minutes of the day." He finally decides.

Joe, the sister, and I all sit in silence for the rest of the period. Finally, the bell goes off.

"Marina?" Mr. Nagy calls.

Joe and I make eye contact and snicker.

"Joseph, I need a word with you too." Mr. Nagy adds, and Joe grimaces.

I walk out of the classroom and wait by the door. After about a minute, the sister, or so called Marina, walks out with a scowl on her face. After another minute, Joe walks out, a look of anger on his face.

"He said I need a tutor! I'm a _senior_, I don't need a stupid tutor! I can just ask Brendan or something!" Joe complains. I whoop with laughter but try to tone it down after he scowls.

"Joe, Brendan is a C+ average student." I say.

"And?" Joe asks. I sigh.

"Never mind. Just be happy the day is over." I say as we head to our lockers.

xxxxx

After school, Joe, John and I head to the field to prepare for tryouts. Joe and I decided to try out for the soccer team, just for fun. If John is going to be the captain, we want to mess with him.

On the other side of the field is a group of girl athletes, it looks like the runners.

Everything was typical about the girls. Slightly taller, skinny, pale and boney, except for one. This girl is typical height for a girl, and has beautifully flowing dark hair, olive-toned skin, and vibrant hazel eyes. You know they're vibrant when you can see them across the field. They're getting bigger though. Wait, she's marching straight toward me. I look over my shoulder at John and Joe who just shrug and laugh. The girl reaches me.

"Do you have a problem?" She asks forcefully.

"My only problem would be if you don't go out with me." I say.

"Shut the hell up. I don't fall for man-whores like you and your asshole friends over there. Now, stop staring me down and go back to your tryouts, or better, _home_." She says angrily, and then storms away.

I do as she says and grab my spot in line again, but I can't help from watching her run. She is amazingly fast, faster than the others, and she looks beautiful when she is doing it.

I shake my head. _I can only date cheerleaders_, I remind myself.

"Stanley Worthington!" The coach calls.

I stand up and run up to just in front of the coach.

"The word is you are just signing up to play around with John, is this right?" He asks in a low voice.

"No, sir. I'm here to play!" I respond happily, knowing it's true. Now I need to show off to that cute girl.

"Fair enough. Go dribble that ball between the cones, and then get it past John, who is playing the goalie." The coach explains.

I nod my head and set off to it. I grab a ball and pass it between my feet very quickly as I swerve around the cones, careful not to make any mistakes. When I am finished, I run closer to the net. John cracks his knuckles and readies himself. I continue to dribble in place. Then I aim, round my foot back, and kick. The ball sails over John's hands and into the top left of the goal.

I walk over and help John to his feet. "Nice one." He grunts.

I look over to see the cute girl nodding slowly with an impressed look. It appears that I've done my job.

xxxxx

At home, I sit excitedly at the computer to see if I made the team or not. While I am waiting, I look up the track team. The people who made it are listed, and it also posts the top times. The top time was set by Maren Elizabeth. _So that's her name_, I think to myself.

Suddenly, my email icon turns blue and makes a dinging sound. The team listings have come out.

I quickly open up the email and read through the list. "John Smith, Captain. Kenny Ortega. Joseph Kinnelle. Stanley Worthington." Stanley Worthington! I made the team!

I throw my hands in the air in a single person celebration. I'm happy of myself for making the team. And I'm so gonna annoy John.

Then Sandor walks in.

"How was your meeting?" I ask, hopping off the counter and grinning at him.

"Boring, as usual. I need to get a better job." He replies. "What's for dinner?"

"I was hoping pizza." I say.

"Sounds good to me, call them up!" Sandor says and tosses me his cell.

I dial up the local pizza shop; I've memorized its number.

"Hi, can I order a two large meat lovers pizzas? No hot sauce." I start. "Thanks, Frank!" I finish and hang up the phone. "On their way!" I inform Sandor.

"Awesome. I need to through something. Football?" He asks me.

"Sure!" I respond and run to my room.

I absolutely love Sandor.

****I hope you guys enjoyed! Please review, and please answer the question asked at the author's note at the top of this chapter! Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4 - Marina and Hannu (Three)

**Disclaimer: I don't own the series….**

**Hi guys!**

**So the result of the question is highly in my Five's favour… but we have a small twist in store :D Thank you all for the reviews and your opinions! We really appreciate them!**

**Right, the final decision on characters and their names:**

- **One – Hannah**

- **Two – Maggie**

- **Three – Hannu**

- **Four – John**

- **Five (My Five) – Sophia**

- **Six – Maren**

- **Seven – Marina**

- **Eight – Joseph/Joe**

- **Nine – Stanley**

- **Adam, Sarah and Sam stay the same!**

**Please read on!**

* * *

**Loss, Love, Laughter, Life – Chapter 3**

**Author – I wish I could be Number Five**

**POV – Marina and Hannu**

Marina

I'm fuming. I've never been this angry but right now, I could punch someone. And coming from me that's extreme.

"Come on Mar" Ella scampers next to me as I march through the corridors. "It's not so bad"

Maybe that _jerk_ Stanley had only sent her to the wrong class but it's terrible in my opinion. She's got enough on her plate; she doesn't need stupid idiots to upset her on her first day. Add my protectiveness to the list and I'm fuming.

I turn the corridor and see _him_ laughing there with his friends. I march towards them and they turn to me, wariness on their faces. I cross my arms as I glare furiously at all of them.

They say nothing.

"What, not going to say anything?" I ask sarcastically. The guy, Stanley scowls back at me.

"It was only a joke" one of the guys, Joseph mutters. I send him a vicious glare and he backs off at once.

"You think it's a joke to her?" I gesture to Ella who's standing nearby, looking awkward. "You think it's funny for her when she has no idea where to go? It's _bullying"_

Stanley rolls his eyes as he crosses his own arms. "Oh come on… it's character building" he mutters. I admit, I lose it.

I shove his chest angrily, not caring that this could be assault. His eyes darken so much they look black but he does nothing. His two sidekicks watch me nervously, their fists clenched.

"What's _character building_ is a 14-year old girl losing her parents at the same time" I hiss viciously. "What's _character building_ is being bullied at her old school. What's _character-"_ Ella interrupts me by reaching forward and taking my hand. She bites her lip.

"It's ok Mar" she says softly. She avoids looking at Stanley and co. "I don't mind"

I narrow my eyes at them all, John and Joseph dropping their eyes to the floor. I shake my head at Stanley.

"For someone who's lost his mother, I would have thought you'd be a bit more sensitive" I whisper maliciously as I turn away. Ella stands with her mouth open as I walk down the corridor before scampering after me. Everyone watches as I go but says nothing.

I realise I'm shaking.

"Mar" Ella says softly as I lean against my lockers. I can feel tears in my eyes and I'm shaking pathetically. I haven't been that angry, that _emotional_ about anything in such a long time.

"I'm fine" I smile at her reassuringly. "You go to lesson. I have a free anyway" I shrug. She sighs but then nods, shouldering her bag better before going off.

I stand leaning against my locker as the corridor empties. I can feel looks being throw my way and I'm sure my scene with Stanley is probably the hot topic already. As soon as I think that, I get a text.

_I heard what happened with you and the jerk… want me to kick his ass?_

I smile sadly at the text from my best friend. I know she's trying to make me feel better but it's not working. I sigh as I move away from my locker and down the empty corridor. I push the door to the grounds open and step outside.

It's colder today. I huddle more into my jacket, trying to forget everything. My parent's death, my earlier argument, my slipping grades… everything.

There's a noise and I open my eyes, staring puzzled at the girl in front of me. She has a camera in her hand and a beanie on her hair. She's stunningly beautiful with blonde hair. This is Sarah Hart, former cheerleader and bitch but current school sweetheart.

"Sorry, Marina" she shrugs apologetically. "But you looked so peaceful. I had to take a picture"

I haven't talked to her much at all. But her infectious attitude makes me smile and I shrug, shoving my hands in my pocket. I'm blushing a bit.

"Should I feel honoured?" I ask. She laughs and shrugs as she slips the camera strap over her head.

"No… I think I've taken a picture of almost everyone in this school" she admits. I smile and then sigh.

"And they let you?" I ask curiously. She grins and then winks at me.

"No… I pretend to promise to delete it but I don't" she giggles and I can't help but smile. I feel my phone buzzing in my pocket and I know Maren will be worried sick about me. I'll be getting a lot of text messages and maybe even a phone call.

Even though she has a lesson now.

"Well, I better go" Sarah says, looking down at her watch. "I have a lesson now and I'm already late!" She grins at me and then takes another picture, making me blink in shock. "See you around!"

She's gone as soon as she came and I shake my head. This day is just full of surprises. I go over to nearby bench and pull out my maths textbook, intending to do some equations.

I need to get my maths grade.

I spend the whole hour and a half of the lesson working on my maths. It comes naturally to me again and I _almost_ enjoy myself. I like the way I don't have to think about anything other than maths; I can block my life out.

Although unfortunately for me it's easier said than done.

There are loads to think about. What to cook for dinner, the washing, the cleaning… Adelina doesn't do much since she supports us financially and doesn't get home until late at night.

Ella's too young to worry about domestics just yet. I mollycoddle her, I know I do, but I want her to have the childhood I had. I want her to be as happy as she can be and not have much stress in her life.

Then there's something important to me. I love swimming and used to compete. But ever since mum and dad's deaths, I've not been swimming. It reminds me too much of when we used to go to events and mum would put my swimming hat on. It reminds me of the way dad used to cheer me on when I was racing.

I'm broken out of my thinking when the bell goes. I pack my stuff up and realise that my fingers are frozen. I press them together, trying to warm them up, when there's a cough.

I look up, startled, to see Stanley and his friend John standing there. They both look contrite and I blush as I stand up too.

"Um, hi" I say, shoving the book of equations into my bag. Stanley bites his lip, as aware as I am of the groups of people hanging around.

"Look, I'm going to the cafeteria right now" he says. "Can we talk?" he asks. I know he wants me to walk with him to get away from everyone and I sigh.

"I can't" I shrug. "I have a lesson" I say, looking away. I meet John's gaze, but look away awkwardly.

"Um, look, I'm really sorry about what I did. I feel terrible about it and I wish I hadn't done it" Stanley admits in a rush. I bite my lip, surprised by his heart-felt apology, and then I smile sadly.

"It's ok" I shrug a little guiltily. "I do get a little protective" I admit. John grins, amused, but Stanley nods seriously. He shifts on his feet before shoving his hand in his pocket and pulling out eight dollars. I raise my eyebrow at him as he offers it to me.

"Get her something… a magazine, chocolate…" he trails off, looking uncomfortable. I can feel stares on us as I hesitantly take the money.

"Honestly, you don't have to" I say but he shakes his head.

"I _do_" he nods fiercely. "I've lost my mom and it _sucks_…. I don't want to think about what's she's going through" he says. I smile gratefully at him as I pocket the money. I'll give it to Ella when I next see her.

"Thanks" I say softly, adjusting my bag. I can feel everyone looking at us and I attempt a smile. Stanley looks as nervous as I feel, which is odd for him.

I turn to go when he gently grabs my arm. My eyes widen with surprise as he smiles sadly. "Take care of her… I know you will because you're clearly protective of her… but losing a parent at her age sucks" he says before turning away.

Leaving me standing there, stunned.

Xxx

"Look at you" I tease Maren as she stretches her legs out. I'm standing on the school fields, watching the running team training. She grins at me as she stretches her arms out.

"Admit it, you think I look hot in these shorts" she teases me. I laugh and roll my eyes, rubbing my hands together.

"I hope I'll have something more interesting to do in this free than watch you running around a track" I tease her. She grins as she swings her arms out.

"Technically you're helping me train" she says, nodding at the stopwatch in my hand. I laugh as I pull a serious face.

"I would if you'd start running!" I accuse her. She rolls her eyes and then starts running. I press the stopwatch and she begins to really sprint.

I look around me as Maren carries on with her running. I can see Stanley and his friends in the distance, as well as Hannah practising with the rest of the cheerleaders. I sigh as I watch the stopwatch again.

"Focus!" I call as a joke to Maren as she passes me. She laughs breathlessly, throwing me the middle finger. I laugh and shake my head, feeling better.

Life may be hard but I have her and Ella. And I wouldn't want anything else.

Xxx

"Already you've improved drastically" Mr Nagy says with a smile as I present him the extra work I've been doing. Ever since our talk just a few days ago, I've been focusing much more on my work.

And it's paying off.

"Really, it's incredible what you're capable of if you work hard" Mr Nagy says with a smile. I blush as I shrug, hoisting my bag onto my shoulder again.

"I'm hoping I'll get the A in summer" I admit. My teacher nods as he stacks some paper into a pile.

"And if you continue with this level of work, you will" he promises. He hands me back some other work and I look over it quickly before putting it in my bag. I leave the classroom, needing to drive Ella and I home now.

I enter the corridor where I see her leaning against the lockers and chatting to a guy… I think his name is Hannu. With his curly hair and tanned skin, he reminds me eerily of someone but I can't put my finger on it. I shrug and approach my little sister.

"Hey El" I say, grabbing the car keys from my bag. "You ready to go?" I ask. She nods and then grins at the friend of hers.

"See you tomorrow!" she says cheerfully. He grins as he turns to his locker whilst Ella and I leave.

"So… who's that?" I tease her. She rolls her eyes at me.

"He's a _friend" _she stresses but I simply laugh. I ruffle her hair and she squirms away, giggling as she fixes her hair.

"Suuuuuure" I tease. I've already given her the money Stanley kindly gave me and we're going to grab a coffee after school. She's as excited as I am.

It'll be nice to have some girl time together. It'll be nice to hand around with my little sister.

Xxx

Hannu

"She's so nice" I say with a grin as I walk along with my best friend in the whole world, Maggie. She looks up at me with narrow eyes.

"Oh Hannu, don't tell me you've fallen for another girl?" she rolls her eyes and she grins teasingly at me. I blush as I unlock the front door, shoving her gently.

"That's not true. She's just a friend!" I protest. I shut the front door as we dump our stuff in the foyer. "And besides, I don't fall for every girl!" I protest. She laughs as she walks into my kitchen, helping herself to the place she's so used to.

"Don't lie, Hannu!" she teases. I follow her into the kitchen, grabbing a slice of bread from the bread bin. When you're hungry, you'll eat anything.

"What's he lying about now?" my older brother, Joseph, saunters into the room. He grins when he sees Maggie; he thinks she's a sensible influence on me.

"He likes someone" she says in a singsong voice. Joe grins wickedly as he casually throws an arm over my shoulders. He ruffles my hair and I try and fail to push him off.

"Aww, is my little baby brother growing up?!" he teases. I groan and push him away, finally succeeding.

"Shut up" I mutter. I shove the bread in my mouth, glaring at my brother.

"So who's this special girl?" he asks as he hops up onto the counter. I roll my eyes as Maggie puts the kettle on, pouring some coffee granules into three mugs.

"Ella Fitzgerald…. You might know her actually, she has an older sister in your year" she says. Joe's face jars with shock.

"Oh, her" he says, looking down. I narrow my eyes.

"What Joe?" I ask. He sighs and then looks up.

"Stanley and I kinda did something to her on her first day…" he trails off as I raise an eyebrow at him. I know at once what he's talking about; Ella had come into our class red faced and looking upset because she'd been sent to the wrong class.

"Nice one, Joe" I say sarcastically. "Real encouraging" I snort. I grab my coffee from Maggie, grinning at her in thanks. She rolls her eyes at me as she takes Joe his.

"Look, I got what I deserved. Her sister chewed Stanley and I up and then spat us out again. Man, she was terrifying" he says, with an almost wistful look.

I don't understand my brother.

"Well, you stay away from Ella" I warn him as Maggie and I head to the TV. "She's nice and you're not" I say with a grin. Joe flips me off as he hops down from the counter, heading towards his room.

"Sure thing!" he calls. "I'm not interested in that family!"

He better be. Ella is my friend, and I don't want him ruining anything.

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	5. Chapter 5 - Stanley and Adam

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**Loss, Love, Laughter, Life - Chapter 5**

**Author: Secretly I am Number Nine**

**POV - Stanley and Adam**

Sandor is off to work, late again. I seriously worry why he still keeps that job. Before he left, he told me that I am babysitting his coworker's daughter tonight. That's going to be interesting.

I grab some milk from the fridge and cheerios from the cupboard, and I make myself cereal. I sit down at the computer and check on my accounts. Nothing seems to be too new, just that spirit week is next week. I'm still not sure if I'm going to dress up for that this year.

Before I even need to, I put on my navy converse. They are my favorite shoes. They seem to go well with anything I wear, but of course I look good in everything too. Then I hear a honk from the driveway. I grab my bag and my hoodie, and then lock the door as I go. I walk down the pathway to the car and hop in the passenger's seat.

"Hey, what's up?" I say as I sit down and slam the door shut.

"Careful with the doors, and just picking you up." John answers.

"Where's Joe?" I ask.

"His brother wanted him to walk." John answers as he pulls out of the driveway and down the road.

"And he agreed? Jeez, I would've said no in an instant." I say.

"And that's why you don't have any younger siblings." John retorts.

"Shut up. I doubt you're getting paid to babysit some random kid tonight." I sass.

"No, but I bet I can get the kid to like me more." He answers.

"You wanna make a deal? You come over to my house tonight at six, and we will work together to babysit the kid. At the end, just before the parent comes, we will ask him who he liked better, you or me. Whoever he chooses gets paid! Simple as that." I bargain with him.

"Deal." He responds and holds a hand out, which I promptly shake.

John is going to regret going against the best babysitter of all time.

xxxxx

Marina storms up to John, Joe, and me. She's seriously pissed. She stands there and looks me in the eyes.

"What, not going to say anything?" She asks sarcastically.

I stare her back, not wanting to show any weakness.

"It was only a joke..." Joe mutters. Marina glares at him, and he takes an exaggerated step backward.

"You think it's a joke to her?" She gestures to the girl I tricked, who's standing nearby, looking awkward. "You think it's funny for her when she has no idea where to go? It's _bullying._"

I roll my eyes. "Oh, come on... It's character building."

Something in Marina seems to snap, and she shoves my chest, pushing me back a foot.

I give her a solid glare, hatred now coursing through my veins. I can sense Joe and John tensing up behind me. I notice a ton of kids stopping to watch us.

"What's _character building_ is a 14-year old girl losing both her parents at the same time," I hiss viciously. "What's _character building_ is being bullied at her old school. What's _character-_" The little girl grabs Marina's hand, who bites her lip and stops talking.

"It's okay. I really didn't mind." The little girl says quietly to Marina, without making eye contact with me.

Marina narrows her eyes at us three, but mainly with me. "For someone who's lost his mother, I would have thought you'd be a bit more sensitive." She whispers maliciously and turns away, stalking down the hall and around the corner. I wince at the comment but try to control my feelings in front of everyone.

The little girl stands there, a little stunned at what Marina said, and then scampers after her, leaving the three of us at the center of attention.

"What're you staring at? Keep moving!" I say to all the bystanders.

Knowing this school, word of this scene is going to spread like wildfire.

John and I have a free period today, so we decide to go down to the field and practice soccer for fun. John wants me to work on my free kicks, and so he plays the goalie. We line up soccer balls one by one on the foul line, and I have to kick them all the way to the goal and past John. We begin the exercise, and I end up scoring twelve of twenty goals.

"Good job! You did better than I was expecting. Do you want to call it a practice for now? We have twenty minutes till class starts again." John asks.

"Sure, why not. I need to finish yesterday's English homework anyway." I respond, beginning to wipe the sweat off of my arms and legs.

John pats me on the back. "I'm going to go talk to you-know-who." He says.

"You mean Sarah? So you are finally taking the next step toward dating her." I say mock-proudly.

"Shut up... I'm going to do it slowly and casually." He responds.

"That's what she said..." I say with a smirk.

John gives me an angry glare, although I know he isn't actually mad.

"Well anyway, how's it going with you and Maren?" John teases back.

"That was only that one time! I can only date cheerleaders, anyway." I respond. "Like Hannah." I finish, pointing toward the cheerleading captain.

Hannah waves back, but her moods are unpredictable. If she likes you, she'll pretend to be happy around you because she still hates you anyway. If she doesn't like you, you'll suffer the cheerleading wrath, and trust me, the wrath is pretty bad.

Just then, one of the prettiest girls I've seen walks out from behind the cheerleader's triangle. She has shortish black hair, to just below the chin, and very tan skin. Her facial features are different than others, they stand out. I don't know how to describe them, but it's definitely something special. She has a very slim figure, more like an hourglass shape. She is very pretty, but just not pretty enough to blend in with the other hot girls. It makes her stand out. She isn't dressed as a cheerleader, so I'm not sure what she was doing over there.

I run up to her, but before I can reach her, another girl grabs her attention. The other girl is Sarah Hart.

Sarah is one of those people who is nice to everybody, so everybody is nice to her back. She is a very pretty girl, but not as pretty as the mystery girl, or Maren.

Wait, did I just think that? No, I couldn't have. I shove the thought out of my mind.

I must've been making an odd look in Sarah and the girl's general direction, because suddenly Sarah is pointing at me, and the cute girl turns around. She gives a glare in my direction, but the glare is one of both anger and confusion, possibly as to why I'd be staring at a girl like her. They both turn back and walk away, much to my disappointment.

"Nine, you okay?" I hear John ask from behind me.

"Huh, what? Oh, yeah, yeah I'm fine!" I respond, trying to be nonchalant.

"Who were you staring at? Not Sarah, right? Cause she's mine." He says.

"No, no. Of course not. I was kinda staring at her friend..." I answer awkwardly.

"You don't have to be awkward around me when we talk about girls." John starts. "So you mean Sophia? She's a loner, you know."

"Don't be mean."

"No, I'm serious! She only talks to Sarah, and that's once in a while. Sarah took it upon herself to become friends with Sophia." John explains.

"Well, I am going to be the second friend on that list." I respond confidently.

"Good luck with that." John mutter as he checks his watch. "Oh, shit. We have five minutes till second block."

"Lets head back then." I respond as we march across the field and toward the school.

As I near the double doors, I see Marina knee-deep in her math homework.

"I'll be right back." I say to John slowly, who notices what I'm getting at.

The bell goes off, but I keep walking toward her. She is packing her binders and papers quickly, not wanting to be late. I stand there awkwardly, and then finally decide to cough. Marina looks up with a jump, clearly startled.

"Um, hi." She says awkwardly, shoving the last binder into her bag.

"Look, I'm going to the cafeteria right now," I start. "Can we talk?" I want to separate from everyone else, who are staring at us because we just fought earlier.

"I can't." She says with a shrug. "I have a lesson." She says and looks away.

"Um, look, I'm really sorry about what I did. I feel terrible about it and I wish I hadn't done it." I say in a rush. I don't know where it came from, or when I thought of it, but it felt right.

Marina bites her lip and smiles sadly. "It's okay. I do get a little protective." She says with a shrug. I nod in response.

I reach into my pocket and pull out eight dollars. I hand it to her, but she raises her eyebrows.

"Get her something... A magazine, chocolate, anything..." I trail uncomfortably.

"Honestly, you don't have to-" Marina says, but I shake my head and cut her off.

"I _do_. I've lost my mom and it _sucks_. I don't even want to think about what she's going through."

Marina smiles, luckily, and pockets the money. "Thanks." She says awkwardly.

I feel eyes boring into the three of us. I shift uncomfortably.

After the awkward pause, Marina turns to go, and I grab her arm. There's one last thing I feel necessary to say.

"Take care of her... I know you will because you're clearly protective of her, but losing a parent at her age truly does suck." I tell her.

Then I turn away.

Even with the intense stares from our peers and the clearly stunned Marina, I still fell like I accomplished something today.

I made someone happy.

xxxxx

"Okay, before Sandor went to his room, he told me this kid is the younger brother of Jack." I complain.

"Jack Montroe? Dude, that sucks. What's the kids name?" John asks.

"Kyle. I hope he likes mac and cheese." I say.

John is leaning over my bar counter while I stir the cheese mix over the macaroni on the stove. Kyle is supposed to arrive in ten minutes at 6:00.

"He doesn't like it as much as you like Sophia..." John teases.

"Shut up! I do not like Sophia!" I complain.

"Don't hide it." John pushes and throws a crumpled up napkin at me. It misses and lands in the flames, which bursts upwards in an evil passion, licking the air moisture as if it is a dehydrated human on an island.

"Woah! Careful, John! I could've caught on fire." I yell as I watch the flames come up.

"Sophia wouldn't like that." He says, and I chuck the cheesy spoon at him, which hits John squarely on the cheek. "Ah, come on!" He complains with a smile.

Just then the doorbell rings. John wipes his face off, and me my hands. I walk over to the door and open it.

Jack and Kyle are standing there; Kyle with an eager look in his eyes, and Jack with a look of disgust.

"Let's go color!" Kyle yells excitedly and runs inside to John.

Jack gives me a scowl. "Don't screw up my brother with your nasty ways." He says.

"Oh, he's already learned them from you" I say and slam the door in his face.

"C'mon, Stanley, lets eat so we can color in the dragons!" John says happily, cat whiskers already drawn on his face.

This is going to be a long night.

xxxxx

Adam

It's final block, and I'm sitting next to Hannah in history. Mr. Ormwell is going on and on about how the Americans fought back in the civil war, and how that connects to modern day. Hannah and I have always been acquaintances, but never anything more. Almost an "I acknowledge your presence" type of relationship.

I lean over to her. "I bet even Sam Adams would be bored by this speech." I whisper.

She giggles, and Mr. Ormwell gives us a skeptical look.

"Is there anything you and Miss Gretle would like to share with the class, Adam?" He asks me.

I shake my head. "No, but I can think of something on the spot if you'd like." I say in response.

He shakes his head this time. "See me after class, the both of you." He says sternly.

The rest of the period seems to crawl by like a snail in molasses. We talk more about the rebels, and then Mr. Ormwell introduces a project.

"You and a partner are going to be recreating a scene of the war, and then you will post this video online to share with the class on Monday." He explains, and then he begins reading the names of the pairs.

"James and Lia. Kevin and Brandon. Ian and Stephanie. Adam and Hannah." He continues on, but Hannah and I give each other questioning looks.

Why would Mr. Ormwell pair us together if he doesn't like our behavior together?

The bell then rings, and everyone but Hannah and I packs up and exits. We both walk up to his desk, where he is sorting last night's homework in to folders.

"Ah, yes, you two. You're probably wondering why I would pair you two together, am I correct?" He asks.

We both nod.

"Good. Well, it's because I believe the power of both your brains combined can create a very strong bond, meaning that having you two always working together will make you pass this class with ease." Mr. Ormwell explains. "Well, I'm sure you guys want to scamper off and socialize with your friends, so run along."

"Thank you!" Hannah says as we exit the room together.

Once we are farther down the hall, we stop and face each other.

"So we are getting our scenes via email from Mr. Ormwell?" Hannah asks.

"Yeah, and then we can organize a meeting time. We have a wide timespan to work with." I respond.

"Awesome! So... I'll see you tomorrow?" She questions.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." I respond, and our eyes linger on each others for a little longer than wanted.

Hannah looks down awkwardly and rubs one foot against the other.

"Uh, bye." She says awkwardly, and then speed walks down the hall to meet up with her friends.

_Girls can be so weird sometimes_, I think to myself.

I walk to my locker to find Kelly, my little sister, leaning against it impatiently.

"Where the hell were you?" She asks when I come into view.

"Just because you are in high school doesn't mean you can use that language; in front of me at least." I respond.

"Whatever, lets get going, I have some stuff I have to do with Rachelle." She says and begins to walk out the front doors, which my locker is conveniently nearby to.

"So, did you talk to him today?" I ask as I catch up with her.

"Shh, keep it down, someone's going to hear your voice you thunderboomer!" Kelly complains.

"So I'll take that as a no?"

"I didn't see him. I'll do it tomorrow." She promises.

"Better do it before someone else does..." I taunt.

"Shut up. I know what I'm doing."

"_Sure_." I say with emphasis.

"C'mon, lets just get home." Kelly says and stalks off down the sidewalk.

I love messing with my sister.

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	6. Chapter 6 - Sophia (Five), Marina, Hannu

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**Loss, Love, Laughter, Life - Chapter 6**

**Author: I wish I could be Number Five**

**POV: Sophia (Five), Marina and Hannu (Three)**

Sophia

Whoever said High School is the best time of your life was clearly a cheerleader. Or a jock. Or someone who was abnormally happy.

High school _sucks. _On top of lessons and exams, there are the cliques, the social norms… To be honest with so much worry about fitting in, it's a wonder some kids even pass exams. It's stressful worrying about how you look, what you say and all that.

So I've done the easy thing. I don't bother.

I know people call me a loner and that I have no friends but I don't care. I like my own company and I like being by myself. I don't have to depend on anyone but me and I don't have to worry about what 'friends' think.

The only issue is loneliness. I do get a little lonely in the cafeteria, even though I pretend not to notice. I do get upset when I'm chosen last for group projects but it's because of my decision and I have no one to blame but me.

And when I see those cheerleaders have huge arguments amongst their group and bitchy rumours are spread? Being a loner is totally worth it.

I push open the school doors and step into the warm corridor. Already people are lined up by their lockers and I try not to roll my eyes at the flirting, the arguing… everything. It's all so petty to me.

"Morning Sophia"

I'm on my guard at once when well renowned jerk Jack Montroe walks towards me. I would be lying if I said he wasn't hot but he's an idiot and a total jock. So yeah, he loses about any bit of respect I might have had for him.

"I'm not doing homework for you" I say walking past him. He grins and carries on walking next to me, his long legs catching up with my woefully short 5,2 body.

"I actually wanted to talk… like normal people do" he says with an annoying smirk. I raise an eyebrow at him.

"If that was a dig at me then you can get lost" I say. He laughs as though I've said a joke and that really rattles me up. I might be short but I pack a good right hook.

"Look, you seem lonely and I was wondering if you wanted to hang out" I pause by my locker and notice he's looking over my shoulder with a sly grin. I want to turn around but that would be really obvious.

"Well if I wanted to hang out with someone, you'd be the last person" I say. I open my locker and he has to move back a little to avoid being hit. Shame…

"Playing hard to get?" he teases me. I really am getting angry now. This is why I don't like high school!

"No, you're just abnormally stupid to see when a girl _really_ doesn't want to talk" I mutter. I grab my books and slam my locker shut, hoping he'll get the message and go.

Unfortunately, he doesn't.

"Admit it Sophia, you like the attention" he says, following me. By now I can see who he was smirking at earlier and it's Stanley, another jerk. Jack gently touches my arm and I glare at him viciously.

"Of course I don't! If I liked attention, I'd make an effort with people" I retort. He grins and shrugs.

"You know, I'd kind of like to be with a girl like you" he muses and then walks off. My jaw's left hanging open and then I swear under my breath. I march away from the corridor, ignoring the curious eyes of Stanley.

I make it to science class early and sit in my customary seat at the back. I like being out of sight here and even the teachers ignore me at times. I might be a star student, but I'm a quiet one.

There's a reason I'm such a recluse. A couple of summers back, when I was 15 and incredibly naïve, I met a guy who was 17. As you can guess he knew what he was doing, and I, well, I didn't. I fell for him completely and would have done anything for him.

Even when I found him in bed with two other girls.

Now I know how stupid I was and how I should have known beforehand. Yet the remembered heartbreak and agony I felt makes it impossible for me to open up to people. I may have been young but I really was in love.

Idiot that I was.

The class slowly fills up and much to my annoyance, Jack _and_ Stanley are in here. I must have the worst luck in the world to be in the same class with those two. It's not like they've been overly mean to me, although Jack was annoying this morning, it's just guys like them make me uneasy.

The teacher comes around with boxes of equipment and I grin; we're doing experiments. I'm an ace at science and want to carry it on at Uni. I don't need a partner for lab work because they just screw things up.

"Right, class, today we're going to be working on the reaction between the Alkali metals and water" our teacher, Miss Sommers begins. "Now although we've put out Caesium in the boxes, I do _not_ want you to use it. Understand?"

I suppose it's a good idea not to have exploding glass bowls in the classroom. It goes against health and safety rules.

I'm about to grab my box as well as my lab coat and goggles when Miss Sommers begins to talk again.

"And since we're all seniors and beginning to develop some maturity" she says dryly. "We're going to be switching up partners this year"

Of course this announcement is met with groans from the class but I simply shrug. Who cares? It's just a lab partner. As long as I get someone stupid, I can do all the work myself.

The teacher rattles off names together and I hope she's forgotten about me when she calls my name.

"Sophia, you will be Stanley's partner" she says.

Ok, you know what? I take back what I said earlier. Damn stupid teachers and their ideas to switch the class up.

Stanley grins and grabs his stuff, sitting next to me. I ignore him and focus on tying my hair back as we have to for experiments.

"Hey partner" he says. His voice is annoyingly arrogant and I really am not going to enjoy the rest of this year if he's going to be like this.

"Hi" I reply curtly. I reach out and put on my safety goggles as well as my lab coat. Stanley's already wearing his.

We both have an awkward silence and I work on pouring out water into the glass bowl. Stanley's fiddling with his coat and I feel nervous all of a sudden. I don't know why but I do.

"Here, you can do the lithium" I say, handing it to him. He rolls his eyes.

"Such an honour" he says sarcastically. He drops it into the water where it fizzles and moves slowly across the water.

"My last lab partner wasn't able to do anything" I reply. "So count yourself lucky" He rolls his eyes as I make perfect notes in my notebook.

"Nice design" he says, pointing to my folder which has the Periodic Table printed on. I grin despite myself.

"Thanks…I'm into science" I shrug as I add some potassium to the water. I take a step back as it fizzles more violently and Stanley grins.

"Yeah, I can tell" he replies. He watches me write more notes and then raises an eyebrow.

"I've heard scientists are supposed to be unsociable" he says. That comment annoys me but at the same time, I don't feel as rattled as I would if anyone else were asking. I shrug and look up at him.

"There's something about science which is better than people" I say slowly. He crosses his arms, looking curious.

"How?" he asks. I bite my lip, not sure how to answer and if I even want to.

"Science has rules, formulas, the same reactions… people are complicated and diverse and it's so hard to trust them" I shrug as I move onto the next and last alkali metal. This reaction is more violent and we both take a couple of steps back.

"Yeah but people are exciting" Stanley argues. I'm writing some notes as he talks and then I bend down, grabbing a new pen from my bag when I hear a shattering of glass and then water pours onto my head. I shriek and jump back.

I look up in shock to see glass and water all over the floor. Stanley's mouth is open as he holds the prongs in his hand. I see the little pot of Caesium on the table and my jaw goes slack.

"Sophia! Stanley!" our teacher shouts, furious. My eyes meet Stanley's and even I can't help the grin on my face.

"We weren't supposed to do that one" I giggle. He bursts out laughing as our teacher storms over.

Maybe he's not so bad after all.

Xxx

Marina

"I have _another_ free now" I groan as I shut my locker door. Maren snaps her eyes away from whatever she's looking at and grins at me.

"Yeah but you use it constructively" she says, patting my shoulder. I roll my eyes at her but she's not looking, she's watching something further down the hallway.

"Whatcha looking at?" I ask her, shoving her lightly. She blushes at once and then smiles innocently.

"Nothing… actually better go! See you later!" she says in a rush, hurrying off. I furrow my brows in confusion and then shrug, carrying on walking. Weird.

I have my head down when I turn the corner and then I smack into something. Hard. I fall to the floor, my books scattering around me. My cheeks flame red at once and I look up startled. _This is why you should look where you're going Marina_ I berate myself.

"Oh my god, are you all right?" I look up at the guy and then inwardly groan when I see Joseph. I am having way too many run ins, pun not intended, with his group.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I say embarrassed as I get up. He bends down and quickly picks up my books, mumbling apologies. He looks genuinely sorry and as embarrassed as me.

"Look, let me get you a coffee or um any drink you want or-" he babbles and I laugh, gently putting a hand on his arm.

"It's all right, _really. _I wasn't looking either so don't worry" I say. He blushes and then smiles nervously at me. For once, I actually feel more confident than someone and it kind of feels great.

"Oh, um, here you go" he says, suddenly noticing he has my books. I laugh and take them from him. He's cute when he's nervous.

Wait a minute, what am I thinking?

"So, do you have a lesson now?" he asks, clearing his throat a little. I shake my head and then lift up my French Grammar book as we walk along.

"Only lots of lovely French exercises to do" I say with a dramatic sigh. He grins and begins to loosen up a little bit. We're both kind of nervous around each other because I'm pretty sure the confrontation between Stanley and I the other week is still very much in our minds.

"Oh right… I've got to do the maths homework Nagy set us… but I probably won't" he grins. He's livelier now and guessing by the cheeky grin on his face, this is his natural personality.

"It's not so bad" I reassure him. He grimaces and shoves his hands in his pockets.

"It is when you're an E student" he laughs and then shrugs. "But I need to do some hockey practice anyway" he says. I nod and then smile, pausing outside the library.

"Well have fun with that" I say. He grins and salutes before nodding at my book.

"Don't get too engrossed in your French!" he says with a laugh before spinning on his heel and walking quickly towards the sports halls.

I bite my lip as I watch him, confused. I feel almost sad that he's not spending more time with me; he made me forget all my worries even if it was for about three minutes. I sigh and turn towards the library, trying to focus on my work and not on his bright green eyes.

It doesn't really work at all.

Xxx

To say I've been distracted today is an understatement. For some reason or another, I just can't seem to concentrate on work.

And whenever I'm almost thinking about something, the image of Joseph's green eyes flashes through my mind. I have no idea why, but I can't stop thinking about our meeting this morning.

I'm not the only one who's preoccupied. Maren is constantly gazing at something and whenever I ask her about it, she blushes and tells me it's none of my business. I don't mind to be honest. Because by then I'm already thinking about my meeting with Joseph.

It's so stupid!

"Class is dismissed!" Mr Nagy calls. I sigh in relief; the whole day has been a drag.

I pack up at the end of the day, looking forward to later. I've decided to go swimming and whilst that might not sound like a lot, it's everything to me. I shove my maths book in my bag when Mr Nagy calls my name again. I wince but go up.

"Marina, I'm very impressed with your progression in only one week" he says, beaming at me as he passes me the extra work I asked him to mark. "This really is quite extraordinary"

I blush and look at my feet; I never know how to take compliments and I didn't think I'd do that well in such a short time. The classroom is mostly empty apart from Stanley and Joseph who are hanging behind to talk to Mr Nagy too.

"Have you ever thought about doing a maths degree at university?" he asks. I raise my eyebrows, shocked. I hadn't seen that coming. To be honest, University hasn't been on the top of my list at the moment, even though I'll be applying soon.

"To be honest sir, I'm more into languages" I say, feeling bad. He laughs as he pats my shoulder. I've been asked by other teachers if I'd consider doing degrees in their subjects and the guilty feeling is still the same.

"Fair enough!" he grins. "But you should consider doing private tutoring for maths. Extra credit" he says. I bite my lip and then frown.

"I could… I just don't know if I have the time" I say with a shrug. "And I don't know anyone to tutor" I explain. Mr Nagy's eyes focus on someone behind me before smiling.

"Well, there'll always be one or two" he says absently. I frown as I try to figure out who he's talking about but he's already ushering me out of the room. "But anyway, you should get going" he says. I nod and then walk to the door, still puzzling over his comment.

Just as I leave, I turn around and get a disarming smile from Joseph. I blush and turn away but I'm already returning the smile.

Xxx

Hannu

"Dude, are you even listening to me?"

My older brother, Joe, pisses me off all the time. I swear, he pays too much attention when I don't want him to and then when I do, he's never listening. Honestly, what is the point of a brother?

"Hm" Joe snaps back to me with a grin as we swim gentle laps in the pool. There are more lanes for the more serious people to our left and there are of course the diving boards and in the far distance, the slides.

"Like I was saying, I'm totally failing Math and I need you to help me" I say. He laughs and raises his eyebrows at me.

"Must run in the family because I am too" he replies with a grin, swimming on his back. I splash some water at his face but he shuts his eyes to avoid the chlorine getting in his eyes.

"What about Maggie?" he continues. His eyes are focused on the side of the pool and I peer over to see what he's looking at. Of course… a slim brunette in a costume. Typical Joseph.

"She won't help me… she's too busy" I shrug. "She's taking like three extra classes because she's a brain on legs" I roll my eyes at the thought of my best friend.

"I wish I was at Maths… all my other subjects I'm passing but that one" Joe shakes his head ruefully. He's still watching that girl.

"Why don't you get tutoring then?" I ask, nudging him with my foot. He _finally_ looks at me and grins. He stands up and annoyingly, towers over me.

Wait until I grow some more…

"Because it's expensive and I'm not asking some of the nerds to tutor me" he rolls his eyes. "They think they're superior to us all and it annoys me" I laugh as I splash water at him again. He playfully shrieks and dodges, making me grin.

"Not all are like that" I insist. "Ella's clever and she's nice" I protest. Joe rolls his eyes again.

"You still talking about her? Dude, just ask her out, I think you've talked about her more than you've breathed" he exaggerates.

I blush and he smirks, his eyes flicking back to the side of the pool. He looks worried for a moment and then smiles, his eyes following the girl who's now swimming.

"Who's that?" I ask him. He goes red at once and focuses back on me, making me suspicious.

"No one" he says, heading to the side so we can go to the slides like he promised. "She's nobody important"

Somehow, that doesn't convince me.

* * *

**For anyone who studies Science, I hope you appreciated the effort I did of researching about the experiment. And I'm someone who hates science :D**

**Hope you enjoyed! **

**Please review!**


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